The present invention relates to an elastomeric bearing.
One goal of elastomeric spherical bearing design is the smallest/lightest package that meets the desired design life requirements. The design life is typically determined through a single motion strain. One conventional elastomeric bearing design methodology discloses how to develop a bearing with a uniform steady compression induced strain, γTc, and a uniform strain distribution for one motion pitch γθ or flap γβ. Such conventional elastomeric bearing design methodology, however, does not account for coupled load and motion or for the fatigue damage from additional motion strains. That is, the actual life of each layer is not dependent exclusively on pitch or flap strain as pressured by this conventional methodology. Furthermore, the conventional methodology generates a bearing that does not provide uniform life at each layer and may therefore result in a relatively inefficient elastomeric bearing.